The Complete Guide to Starting a Bottle-Your-Own Whiskey Program at Your Distillery
- Jeffrey Watterworth
- Jan 22
- 11 min read
How craft distilleries are increasing tasting room revenue by 40% with customer bottling experiences
If you're running a craft distillery, you've probably noticed that today's customers want more than just a tasting flight—they want an experience. They want to be part of your story, touch your barrels, and take home something truly unique.
That's exactly what a bottle-your-own (BYO) whiskey program delivers. And the results speak for themselves: distilleries running these programs see 40% higher margins per bottle compared to shelf sales, with most recovering their equipment investment in just 2-4 months.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know to launch a successful bottle-your-own program at your distillery.
What is a Bottle-Your-Own Whiskey Program?
A bottle-your-own program allows customers to fill their own bottles directly from your barrels. Instead of buying a pre-bottled product from your shelf, customers experience the entire process: selecting a barrel (if you have multiple fillers), watching their bottle fill, and corking their own bottle of barrel-strength spirits.
It transforms a passive purchase into an active, memorable experience that customers share on social media, recommend to friends, and return to repeat.
Why Distilleries Are Adding BYO Programs
The shift toward experiential retail isn't just a trend—it's a fundamental change in consumer behavior. People value experiences as much as products, especially when visiting craft producers.
Distilleries like Nelson's Green Brier in Nashville, St. Augustine Distillery in Florida, and Bendt Distilling in Texas have all implemented successful bottle-your-own programs. The results are compelling:
Nelson's Green Brier sells through an entire barrel per month through their BYO program alone
St. Augustine Distillery averages 120+ bottle-your-own experiences monthly
A distillery in Illinois generated over $13,000 in revenue in their first month of operation
But the benefits go beyond immediate revenue.
The Business Case for Bottle-Your-Own
Higher Margins
With typical 40% markup over shelf pricing, a $50 bottle becomes a $70 experience. For premium single barrels, the markup can exceed 100%.
Here's the math: If you sell a 750ml bottle for $50 on your shelf, price the BYO experience at $70. For a 53-gallon barrel yielding approximately 200 bottles, that's an additional $4,000 in revenue compared to traditional sales—from a single barrel.
Faster ROI Than Traditional Equipment
While bottling lines cost $50,000-$200,000+ with longer payback periods, bottle-your-own equipment typically pays for itself in 2-4 months. Some high-volume distilleries recover their investment in just a few weeks.
Increased Foot Traffic and Brand Loyalty
A hands-on bottling experience creates emotional connection and loyalty that shelf sales simply can't match. Customers become part of your production story, not just consumers of your product.
The social media amplification is significant—customers photograph themselves filling bottles, tag your location, and share their unique finds with whiskey enthusiast communities.
Equipment You'll Need
Every bottle-your-own program starts with proper filling equipment. The essential requirements are:
Core Equipment Components
Sight Glass Filler: A calibrated sight glass that shows customers exactly how much spirit they're dispensing. This ensures TTB compliance and consistent experiences.
Two-Valve System: The first valve fills the sight glass, the second dispenses into the bottle. This creates a visual moment for customers and ensures accuracy.
Drip Tray: Catches overflow and spillage, keeping the experience clean.
Barrel Connection: Secure connection from your barrel to the filling system.
Mounting Hardware: Attaches the filler to your barrel rack for stability.
Flow Control Valve: Allows you to adjust fill speed based on your preference.
What You'll Provide
Beyond the filler equipment, you need:
Barrel rack (you likely already have this)
Barrels of your spirits
Empty bottles
Corks
Labels (many distilleries use labels with sections that let customers fill in specific data, allowing you to get just a single label approved for use across every BYO offering)
Installation Time
Most distilleries complete installation in 2-3 hours. The equipment doesn't require certified technicians, plumbers, or specialized contractors—your team can handle it.
Choosing Between SingleShot and DoubleShot Systems
SingleShot: A single filling station mounted to a barrel rack. Perfect for distilleries starting their BYO program or those with limited space. Ideal if you plan to rotate unique, limited-edition barrels.
DoubleShot: Two filling stations mounted side-by-side. Best for distilleries that want to offer customers multiple options simultaneously—bourbon and rye, for example. Ensures you never lose a sale because a customer's preferred spirit isn't available.
Distilleries like Bendt operate four BYO fillers to ensure every visitor finds something they want. Echo Spirits and Blaum Bros both use DoubleShot systems mounted on their barrel racks for maximum visibility and customer choice.
Program Structure Models
How you structure your BYO program depends on your facility, customer flow, and brand positioning. Here are the most successful models:
Tour Integration Model
The most common approach. The bottle-your-own experience becomes the finale of your distillery tour, creating a memorable conclusion and natural upsell opportunity. Works well for distilleries with scheduled tour times.
Walk-Up Availability Model
Distilleries like Bendt offer bottle-your-own as a walk-up option during open hours. Multiple fillers ensure something is always available for spontaneous visitors. Best for high foot-traffic locations.
Limited Edition Model
Nelson's Green Brier takes this approach—offering unique, one-off barrel expressions available only through their BYO program. "Once that barrel is gone, it's gone forever" creates urgency and collectibility. Perfect for distilleries with experimental or rare barrels.
Reservation-Only Model
For ultra-premium or allocated releases, some distilleries use reservation systems to manage demand and create exclusivity. This works especially well for single-barrel picks or aged expressions.
Hybrid Model
Many successful programs combine approaches: walk-up availability for standard offerings with reservation-only for premium selections.
Pricing Your BYO Experience
Pricing depends on your market, your brand positioning, and the barrel you're featuring. Here's the framework successful distilleries use:
Starting Point: 40% Markup
For standard offerings, price BYO experiences at 40% above your shelf price. If you sell a 750ml bottle for $50 on the shelf, charge $70 for the BYO experience.
Premium Pricing for Special Barrels
For higher-proof, older, or unique expressions, markups of 80-100%+ are common. A shelf bottle at $80 becomes a $120-160 BYO experience.
Why Customers Pay More
You're not just selling whiskey—you're selling:
Barrel-strength spirits (higher proof than shelf bottles)
Hands-on experience
Social media moments
Story and authenticity
Something they can't get anywhere else
Once you've proven demand, you can adjust prices upward. Start conservative, then optimize based on customer response.
Legal and Compliance Considerations
Before launching your BYO program, ensure you're compliant with state and federal regulations.
Federal TTB Requirements
Your filling equipment must dispense accurate, consistent volumes. SingleShot equipment is specifically designed to meet TTB volume accuracy requirements, with adjustable calibration for seasonal temperature variations.
State ABC Regulations
Bottle-your-own programs are legal in most states, but regulations vary by jurisdiction. You'll need to verify that your TTB permit covers on-premise consumption or direct-to-consumer sales, depending on how your state classifies the activity.
Successful BYO programs currently operate in Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, California, and many other states.
Documentation and Record-Keeping
Maintain the same records you would for traditional sales:
Volume dispensed
Date of sale
Customer information (if required in your state)
Tax collection
Your POS system should track BYO sales separately from shelf sales for inventory management.
Liability and Safety
While the experience is designed for customers to operate themselves, always have a staff member present to:
Ensure proper operation
Prevent overfilling
Verify customer age
Maintain a safe environment
Training Your Staff
One of the best aspects of BYO programs is how easy they are to operate. Staff can be trained in under 15 minutes on the simple two-valve operation:
Customer places empty bottle on drip tray
Customer opens first valve to fill sight glass
Once sight glass is filled (flow stops automatically), close first valve
Open second valve to dispense into bottle
Close second valve when bottle is full
Remove bottle, cork, and label
The process is intuitive enough that customers can do it themselves with minimal supervision, which is part of the appeal.
Installation and Setup
Space Requirements
You'll need:
Existing barrel rack (standard size)
2-3 feet of clearance in front for customers
Adequate lighting for Instagram-worthy photos
Consider visibility from tour routes or retail areas
Physical Installation Steps
Mount the filler to your barrel rack using provided hardware
Connect barrel attachment to your barrel
Connect all filler parts together
Verify flow control is set appropriately
Test with water to ensure proper calibration
Test with actual product before customer use
Most installations take 2-3 hours. No special tools or certifications required.
The Barrel Insert Option
While you can fill directly from barrels, some distilleries opt for stainless steel barrel inserts. These provide several advantages:
Eliminates barrel leaks during customer service (note: no issues have occurred with the dozens of customers using the direct-to-barrel fitting we provide)
Reduces angel's share loss (no evaporation through wood during display)
Easier barrel changeovers—pump new product in rather than moving heavy barrels
High-volume operations (120+ experiences per month) typically add inserts as they scale.
The insert slides into a standard barrel after removing one head, giving customers the authentic "straight from the barrel" experience with the reliability of a sealed tank.
Creating the Customer Experience
The equipment is just the foundation. The real magic is in how you present the experience.
The Physical Setup
Visibility: Mount fillers where they're visible from tour routes and retail areas. St. Augustine mounted theirs between windows so it's visible from "every corner of their facility."
Signage: Clear, attractive signage explaining the process and pricing.
Photo Opportunities: Ensure good lighting and clear sightlines for Instagram photos.
Barrel Information: Display cards showing barrel details—age, mash bill, proof, tasting notes, barrel number.
The Story
Train staff to tell the story of each barrel:
Where it was aged
How long it's been aging
Unique characteristics of this expression
Why it was selected for BYO
The narrative transforms a transaction into an experience.
The Process
Some distilleries have staff guide every step. Others let customers operate independently with staff nearby. Both work—choose based on your brand personality and staffing capacity.
As Shortbarrel Bourbon owner C. Dugan notes: "When visitors know they'll get to bottle their own whiskey, the excitement is palpable. They ask more questions, they engage with our team, and they're genuinely curious about every step. It turns a routine tasting into an interactive whiskey adventure."
The Upsell
BYO naturally leads to additional purchases:
Customers often buy shelf bottles as gifts while they're there
Cocktail glassware and bar tools
Additional BYO bottles to complete a collection
Tour upgrades or whiskey club memberships
Marketing Your BYO Program
Pre-Launch
Build anticipation:
Social media teasers showing equipment installation
"Coming Soon" signage in tasting room
Email blast to mailing list
Press release to local media and whiskey blogs
Launch
Grand opening event for regulars and whiskey club members
Influencer invitations (local food/drink bloggers)
Limited-time launch pricing or exclusive launch barrels
Document everything for content creation
Ongoing Marketing
Social Proof: Encourage customers to tag you in photos. Repost the best ones. Create a dedicated hashtag.
Scarcity: "Only 50 bottles left from this barrel" creates urgency.
New Barrel Announcements: Email list and social media posts when you rotate new barrels in.
Customer Testimonials: Share quotes and stories from customers who loved the experience.
Seasonal Offerings: Holiday barrels, summer releases, etc.
Word of Mouth
This is your biggest marketing channel. BYO experiences are inherently shareable—customers become ambassadors. Make it easy:
Provide great lighting for photos
Have branded bottle labels available
Create distinctive, memorable moments
Deliver exceptional customer service
Common Challenges and Solutions
Challenge: Barrel Runs Out Mid-Tour
Solution: Always have a backup barrel ready. Or embrace scarcity as part of the experience—"This barrel's gone, but we have this equally amazing one available."
Challenge: Customers Overfill or Spill
Solution: Drip trays catch spillage. The sight glass prevents overfilling if used correctly. Staff presence minimizes issues.
Challenge: Slow Fill Times Creating Bottlenecks
Solution: Adjust flow control valve to increase flow rate. Or add a second filling station (upgrade to DoubleShot).
Challenge: Seasonal Temperature Changes Affect Volume
Solution: Equipment with volume adjustment features lets you recalibrate as temperatures change, ensuring consistent fills year-round.
Challenge: Customers Don't Understand the Value
Solution: Better storytelling. Emphasize barrel-strength, exclusivity, hands-on experience, and "you can't get this anywhere else."
Measuring Success
Track these metrics to optimize your BYO program:
Revenue Per Barrel: Calculate total revenue from each barrel versus what you'd make through traditional sales.
Conversion Rate: Percentage of tour participants who purchase BYO experiences.
Average Transaction Value: BYO purchase plus any additional items bought.
Repeat Customers: How many people return for additional BYO bottles.
Social Media Mentions: Track tagged photos and posts.
Customer Feedback: Collect testimonials and reviews specifically about the BYO experience.
Advanced Strategies
Once your basic program is running, consider these enhancements:
Corporate Events
Private BYO sessions for corporate team building or client entertainment.
Whiskey Education Integration
Combine BYO with tasting education—compare your BYO barrel to shelf products, teach about proof, aging, etc.
Membership Programs
Create a BYO-focused membership tier: priority access to new barrels, member-exclusive selections, discounted pricing.
Real-World Success Stories
Nelson's Green Brier Distillery - Nashville, TN
Strategy: Limited edition, rotating single barrels. "Once it's gone, it's gone forever."
Results: Sells through an entire barrel per month through BYO alone. In their first week, they sold over 20 gallons.
Key Takeaway: Scarcity and FOMO drive consistent demand.
St. Augustine Distillery - St. Augustine, FL
Strategy: Custom DoubleShot mounted between windows for maximum visibility. Always two options available.
Results: 120+ experiences per month. Doubled their BYO volume after upgrading to professional equipment.
Key Takeaway: Visibility and customer choice maximize participation rates.
Bendt Distilling - Texas
Strategy: Four filling stations offering bourbon, rye, wheat, and malt. Something for everyone, every visit.
Results: Multiple daily sales across all four stations. High customer satisfaction from choice.
Key Takeaway: More options = more sales. Don't force customers to wait for their preferred spirit.
Shortbarrel Bourbon - Atlanta, GA
Strategy: DoubleShot system integrated into tours. Strong emphasis on storytelling and customer engagement.
Results: According to owner C. Dugan: "I've noticed how this offering has completely changed the energy of our tours. When visitors know they'll get to bottle their own whiskey, the excitement is palpable."
Key Takeaway: BYO transforms the entire tour experience, not just the transaction at the end.
Is a Bottle-Your-Own Program Right for Your Distillery?
BYO programs work best for distilleries that:
✅ Have regular foot traffic (tours, tasting room visitors)
✅ Want to differentiate from competitors
✅ Have available barrel rack space
✅ Are looking to increase per-customer revenue
✅ Want to build stronger brand loyalty
✅ Have staff capacity for customer interaction
✅ Are comfortable with experiential retail
BYO may not be ideal if:
❌ Your facility doesn't allow customer access to barrel areas
❌ State regulations prohibit on-premise bottle sales
❌ Your brand positioning is exclusively ultra-premium with no customer interaction
❌ You have extremely limited space
For most craft distilleries, the answer is clear: BYO programs deliver measurable ROI, enhanced customer experience, and competitive differentiation.
Getting Started
Ready to launch your bottle-your-own program? Here's your action plan:
Week 1-2: Research and Planning
Verify state ABC regulations
Determine space and barrel rack availability
Decide between SingleShot or DoubleShot
Set initial pricing strategy
Identify which barrels to feature first
Week 3-4: Equipment and Setup
Order filling equipment
Prepare barrel rack mounting
Train staff on operation
Create signage and marketing materials
Test equipment thoroughly
Week 5: Soft Launch
Invite whiskey club members and regulars
Gather feedback
Adjust pricing or process as needed
Document experiences for marketing
Week 6+: Full Launch
Grand opening event
Social media campaign
Press outreach
Monitor results and optimize
Conclusion
Bottle-your-own programs represent a fundamental shift in how craft distilleries connect with customers. In an era where experiences matter as much as products, giving customers the ability to literally bottle their own whiskey creates memories, loyalty, and revenue that traditional sales simply can't match.
The numbers speak for themselves: 40% higher margins, 2-4 month ROI, and customer engagement that translates directly to social media amplification and word-of-mouth marketing.
Whether you start with a single filling station or multiple options, whether you focus on limited editions or rotating availability, the core value remains the same: you're inviting customers to become part of your story, not just consumers of your product.
And in today's craft spirits market, that connection is what builds sustainable, profitable distilleries.
Additional Resources
For more detailed information about implementing a bottle-your-own program:
Equipment specifications and installation: Visit singleshotbarrelworks.com/bottle-your-own-filler
Frequently Asked Questions: singleshotbarrelworks.com/faq
Customer examples and installations: singleshotbarrelworks.com (scroll to Customer Setups)
About SingleShot Barrel Works: Based in Charleston, SC, SingleShot Barrel Works manufactures bottle-your-own filling equipment for craft distilleries across North America and the Caribbean. We've helped distilleries from California to the Caribbean, Mexico to Illinois, and many places in between create memorable customer experiences. Contact us at singleshotbarrelworks@gmail.com or visit singleshotbarrelworks.com.
Ready to add a bottle-your-own program to your distillery? Contact us for pricing and installation details.
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